Strawberry Fair’s 2025 Event Canceled Amid Doubled Costs

The annual arts and music fair, which has been held for 50 years, will not take place next year following a doubling of its operational costs over the past decade. Strawberry Fair originated in 1974 on Midsummer Common, Cambridge, established as a “free alternative” to the May Balls hosted by Cambridge University colleges. Volunteers involved with the event expressed uncertainty regarding their ability to secure the necessary funding for 2025, but committed to efforts aimed at ensuring the “absolutely beloved” fair’s return in 2026. Mark McGivern, who serves as the chair of programming, stated: “Ten years ago, the fair cost £100,000, now it’s going to cost at least £200,000.” The event, traditionally held on the first Saturday of June, draws over 30,000 attendees. Organizers characterized it as “the UK’s longest running and largest one-day arts and music event,” managed entirely by volunteers. Organizers indicated that half of the £100,000 cost increase has occurred since 2021. Mr. McGivern commented: “After coming out of this year’s fair, which we just about managed to make happen, it was quite clear the cost of the fair in 2025 was going to be at least £200,000 and we couldn’t see that we’d be able to raise more than £170,000 to fund it.” He further explained: “Fuel is a huge [cost], everything is run on generators and the cost of generators and the cost of fuel has gone up dramatically.” He also noted that despite the fair being organized and operated by volunteers, expenses for hiring additional personnel, such as security, sound engineers, and medical staff, have “gone up dramatically.” The fair has primarily relied on self-funding, generated through pitch fees from attending bars and traders, complemented by year-round fundraising activities and public donations. Organizers stated that implementing an admission charge was never considered an option. Mr. McGivern remarked: “With all the other changes that happened across the country in the last 50 years, we really want to keep that part of that original vision alive.” He further indicated that the committee would “love to hear from” individuals who may have alternative ideas and methods for securing the necessary additional funds. News from Cambridgeshire is available on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. This content is copyrighted by BBC 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites and provides information on its external linking policy.